PLANES ►

► Arriving in St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg has 2 main passenger airports in the southern part of the city - Pulkovo 1 and Pulkovo 2.

Pulkovo 1 handles mostly local flights and a few international ones to and from former Soviet Republics. All flights to Moscow originate here and are mostly run by Pulkovo Airlines with a few from Aeroflot. There isn't much in the way of shops there but there is a decent Irish bar in the Pulkovo Airline section of the terminal. The airport also has a foreign currency exchange booth and ATM machines.

Pulkovo 2 is St. Petersburg's main International Airport. If you are flying directly to Russia from abroad, you will arrive here. The airport was newly renovated in 2003 and is not bad. There are also a few good bars and shops to spend your time in while waiting. The airport also has a foreign currency exchange booth and ATM machines

Transport from both airports to the city center is quite easy and takes anywhere from 25 minutes to 1 hour depending on traffic. We recommend that you don't use the local taxi drivers that wait outside both airports. They charge crazy prices, usually starting at $50 and ranging even higher. A better alternative is to prearrange pick up or take a mini bus taxi (called a Marshrutka) from the airport to Moskovsky Prospect metro station (only a 5 minute ride away). It will cost only 15 roubles and from Moskovsky metro you will be able to take the metro itself or grab a more reasonably-priced gypsy cab (probably costing only 150 - 200 roubles to the center).